Are The 49ers Really Favored to Win NFC West?

It's a good thing football games are won on the gridiron and not on paper.

On paper the San Francisco 49ers lost nine starters off of a 6-11 team. That would make many people think the 49ers are going to have a long year.

That is not the belief according to the oddsmakers at Draft Kings. The 49ers are -125 and favored to win the NFC West division. The defending division champions, the Los Angeles Rams, check in at -185.

The betting lines merely reflect the opinions of the gamblers. There is apparently more money coming in on San Francisco to win the division than anyone else.

There is a reality wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk won't see much action this season, Offensive lineman Trent Williams misses games every year with various nagging injuries. Finally, Christian McCaffrey will probably never regain the form he had when he joined the 49ers after being traded by the Carolina Panthers. 

The problem with McCaffrey is he is getting older and his body is starting to show the wear and tear of his years getting a bulk of the carries and catching many passes out of the backfield.

The bettors must be gambling the 49ers are going to pay Brock Purdy before the season and he will return to his almost MVP form of 2023 when he led San Francisco to Super Bowl 58. 

One thing the gamblers must also be counting on is the fact the 49ers have a bunch of high draft picks and general manager John Lynch is going to replace a few of the starters he lost to free agency and due to salary cap purposes.